Mexican Mafia member gets two life terms

A member of the Texas Mexican Mafia was sentenced Thursday to two life terms in federal prison for his role in various racketeering crimes — including a murder — in Uvalde, Eagle Pass and Del Rio.

U.S. District Judge Alia Moses handed down the consecutive life sentences in Del Rio against Victor Esquivel, 26, of Eagle Pass.

Esquivel is among 12 defendants who authorities say conspired to conduct the affairs of the Texas Mexican Mafia through a pattern of racketeering activity, which included murder, solicitation of murder, drug trafficking and extortion.

The crimes included the murders of Jose Damian Garza in Hondo on July 19, 2008, and Christopher Mendez in Concan on Dec. 6, 2006.

Esquivel and Javier “Javi” Guerrero, 24, of Uvalde, were convicted at trial in July in Del Rio of violating the Racketeer Influenced Corruption Act. Esquivel also was convicted of conspiracy and violent crime in aid of racketeering for the murder of Garza.

Guerrero, a gang leader, was also convicted of conspiracy and violent crime in aid of racketeering for the murders of Garza and Mendez. His sentencing had also been scheduled for Thursday but was postponed.

Authorities have obtained several federal indictments against the San Antonio-based gang's members since 1991.

But this investigation is the first to directly target the gang's operations along the Texas-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Crystal City, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde, Sabinal and Hondo.